Destroyed animal shelter in Niles holds adoption event

October 05, 2013|By Susan Berger, Special to the Tribune

Wright-Way Rescue employee Misty McDorman takes a dog out of its crate Friday as she and others organize an adoption day in a tent next to the Niles-based shelter, which was severely damaged when it was hit by a school bus Wednesday. (Adam Wolffbrandt, Chicago Tribune)

In a tent adjacent to their crumpled building, about 60 dogs were crated and prepared for a makeshift adoption event Friday, made necessary by an accident that at least temporarily closed the Wright-Way Rescue animal shelter in Niles.

A school bus hit the shelter Wednesday, damaging the structure but resulting in no injuries, either human or animal. No children were on the bus at the time, and the one missing cat was quickly found.

The most serious impact was to the shelter itself, said Christy Anderson, Wright-Way's founder and owner.

"This took 10 years to build and three seconds to destroy," she said. "But we will get through this. We've overcome a lot."

A handful of the dogs at the adoption event were in the shelter at the time of the accident. The rest arrived Friday, typically a "transport" day, when dogs are brought weekly to the facility from Murphysboro, Ill., about six hours south, according to Cathy Anderson, Wright-Way manager and Christy Anderson's mother. The dogs, all originally slated to be euthanized, come from southern Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee and Indiana.

The Wright-Way Rescue was Christy Anderson's dream and began about 10 years ago when she first hid dogs in her college dorm room. Later, she installed cages in an apartment and housed rescue animals in the basement of her house and then in a rented barn.

Christy Anderson said Wright-Way this year was scheduled to adopt out 5,000 animals.

How the accident will affect the shelter isn't entirely known, the Andersons said.

"Our whole life's dream and savings has gone out the window," said Cathy Anderson, a Norwood Park resident.

Tyler Tassone, of Chicago, is a Wright-Way Rescue employee and helped at the adoption event with Roscoe, a collie mix, by his side.

Roscoe has been jumping into bed with him each night, Tassone said, but considering the dog was just feet away when the bus came barreling in through the walls, he suspects Roscoe might be a little traumatized.

The Andersons otherwise ran a tight ship at the adoption event. Anyone who touched a puppy couldn't pet another without washing their hands.

When the facility was open, if someone played with a puppy in a penned area, the floor was bleach-cleaned before another puppy set foot there.

Lisa Kmiec, of Chicago, found her beagle, Missy, at the shelter three years ago. On Friday, she dodged between cars, collecting donations and yelling, "Help our doggies. They need homes."

Margaret Plotner, of Lake Bluff, who adopted a cat about four weeks ago from Wright-Way, also wound up attending the adoption event. She found herself playing with Jack, a 6-month-old dachshund, and was considering fostering him until the shelter could find a permanent home.

"Whatever I can do to help," Plotner said.

A warehouse has been donated for the next two weeks to shelter any puppies that aren't adopted, but the dogs were going fast. Five were adopted in the first 20 minutes the event was open.

For more information, call 847-972-1058 or go to wrightwayanimalrescue.com.